GRADE
4
A PAR E NT’S G U I D E
TO
Grade 4
Curriculum
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rt
A
Mathematics
Music
Physical Education
Reading/
Language Arts
• Science
• Social Studies
Rockville, Maryland
Board of Education
Mrs. Patricia B. O’Neill
President
Mr. Christopher S. Barclay
Vice President
Ms. Laura Berthiaume
VISION
A high-quality education is
the fundamental right of every
child. All children will receive
the respect, encouragement,
and opportunities they need
to build the knowledge, skills,
and attitudes to be successful,
contributing members of a
global society.
Ms. Shirley Brandman
Dr. Judith R. Docca
Mr. Michael A. Durso
Mr. Philip Kauffman
Mr. Alan Xie
Student Member
School Administration
Dr. Jerry D. Weast
Superintendent of Schools
Mr. Larry A. Bowers
Chief Operating Officer
Dr. Frieda K. Lacey
Deputy Superintendent of Schools
850 Hungerford Drive
Rockville, Maryland 20850
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org
MARYLAND
Dear Parents and Guardians:
We welcome you to Grade 4! This brochure will give you an overview of
the Grade 4 program and explain what your child will be learning in art,
mathematics, music, physical education, reading/language arts, science, and
social studies. The information it contains will help you support your child’s
learning experience.
The Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is committed to providing
each child with the essential skills and knowledge he or she needs to succeed.
Fulfillment of this goal must begin at an early age. The MCPS Grade 4 curriculum is designed to engage children in the learning process, provide them
with a sense of accomplishment, and help them understand the value of what
they are learning.
You may want to bring this booklet with you when you have a parent
conference and keep it handy at home as a guide when you are discussing
homework and school experiences with your child.
Working in partnership with the school staff is one of the most important
things you can do to ensure your child’s success. I wish you a happy and
healthy school year full of opportunities for both you and your child.
Respectfully,
Jerry D. Weast, Ed. D.
Superintendent of Schools
850 Hungerford Drive ♦ Rockville, Maryland 20850
ii • Grade 4 Curriculum
How Parents Can Help
You want your child to succeed in school and in life. There are many
ways to encourage him or her to achieve. Following are some of the
many ways you can help your child get the most out of school:
• Show interest in what your child is doing in school.
• Set high expectations for your child. Make it clear that school
should be his or her first priority.
• Dedicate at least 15 minutes each day to talking with your
child and reading with him or her.
• Provide a quiet place for your child to study.
• Help your child with his or her homework.
• Limit the amount of television your child watches and discuss
what he or she sees on television.
• Monitor the amount of time your child spends playing video
games or surfing the Internet.
• Volunteer to help with school activities and try to get other
parents involved as well.
• Talk with your child’s teachers regularly about your child’s
progress and what you can do to help him or her improve.
• Encourage your child to complete challenging work.
Adapted from A Parent’s Guide to Achievement Matters Most, Maryland State Department of
Education.
How Parents Can Access
Curriculum Resources
Parents should first consult the recommended resources.
These documents can be found in school media centers.
• The MCPS revised Curriculum Framework for the subject
(English/language arts, mathematics, science, or social studies),
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/curriculum/framework.html.
• The Student Outcomes, by subject and grade level, as listed
on the curriculum revision page of the MCPS website,
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/curriculum/studentlearn.html.
• Their child’s individual classroom teacher(s).
Art—Grade 4 Curriculum • 1
Art
The Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) pre-K–12 visual art program is designed to help students develop
the knowledge and skills essential to understanding the following:
• Art is a powerful mode of communication. It provides essential ways for students to discover, interpret, and make
meaning of life experiences.
• It helps students connect to the past and to other cultures.
• It includes investigating materials and visual forms, developing symbolic language, and engaging with critical and
aesthetic modes of thought and expression.
• It teaches students how to take an integrated approach to creative expression and critical response
that allows them to develop their unique artistic thoughts and gain a solid grounding for creating and
appreciating art..
Themes for Visual Art
The elementary art curriculum is based on themes that
show students the relevance of art in their own lives and
the lives of people across time and place. These themes
cross traditional boundaries and make connections
between the student, art, and real-life issues. They also
expose students to exploration, expression, communication, and the creation of art.
Environment: The environment affects the way people
think, feel, behave, and live.
Communication: People communicate thoughts,
feelings, and ideas using words, symbols, signs, and
behaviors.
Communities: People live in communities that are
identified by common personal, social, and organizational beliefs, values, and traditions.
Human Issues: People use knowledge, skills, and creativity to fulfill their needs and desires.
Major Concepts
In Grade 4, students will know and be able to use the
following art elements and design principles in making and responding to art: color, line, texture, form,
value, space, shape, pattern, contrast, balance, repetition,
emphasis, rhythm/movement, and unity.
2 • Mathematics—Grade 4 Curriculum
Mathematics
The goal of the Montgomery County Public Schools pre-K–12 mathematics program is for all students to achieve mathematical proficiency through mastery of mathematical skills, concepts, and processes.The end result is the ability to think and
reason mathematically and use mathematics to solve problems in authentic contexts.
The mathematics curriculum at each grade level is organized into units of instruction. The following statements provide an
overview of what students should know by the end of each unit of Math 4.Throughout all units, students will apply concepts
and skills to solve problems, communicate and reason mathematically, and make mathematical connections.
Unit 1
• Recognize and apply place value patterns in numbers
through millions.
• Organize, display, and analyze data using line plots and line
graphs.
• Determine and distinguish among mean, median, mode,
and range, using concrete materials.
• Classify angles as acute, obtuse, or right.
• Identify and describe the sides, angles, edges, vertices, and
faces of solid figures.
• Draw circles, triangles, and quadrilaterals given their
dimensions.
• Identify and describe points, lines, line segments, and rays.
Unit 2
• Demonstrate mastery of basic multiplication and division
fact families.
• Identify and apply multiples and factors of numbers.
• Solve for the unknown or variable in an equation.
• Generalize a pattern by stating a rule.
• Write and simplify numeric expressions using number
properties.
• Complete a function table using a given rule.
Unit 3
• Compare and order fractions and mixed numbers.
• Compare decimals to the hundredths using numerals,
pictures, and objects.
• Describe the relationship between fractions and decimals.
• Add and subtract fractional numbers with like denominators
using models and pictures.
• Add and subtract decimals using models and pictures.
• Solve problems involving estimation with fractions and
decimals.
• List all possible outcomes for a simple probability situation.
• Express the probability of an event with equally likely
outcomes as a fraction.
• Multiply fractions and whole numbers using models and
pictures.
Unit 4
• Multiply any whole number by a 2- or 3-digit factor.
• Divide any whole number by a 1-digit divisor.
• Estimate products to determine the reasonableness of
answers.
• Estimate and determine elapsed time.
Unit 5
• Identify translations, reflections, and rotations of figures.
• Select appropriate attributes and use standard units to solve
measurement problems.
• Solve problems involving area, perimeter, volume, and
elapsed time.
• Develop and use formulas to solve problems involving area
and perimeter of rectangles.
• Identify situations that are represented by a negative
number.
Curriculum Resources for Parents
Parents should first consult the recommended resources listed under
“How Parents Can Access Curriculum Resources,” page ii.
Sites recommended by the
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics:
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Illuminations, www.
Illuminations.nctm.org. From the NCTM website. A comprehensive
organization of math investigations, lessons, tools, and resources.
Call 703-620-9840.
Math Archives, “Topics in Mathematics,” www.archives.math.utk.
edu/topics/. Dozens of basic and advanced math topics with links to
related sites and lessons. Contact SunSite, University of Tennessee,
Mathematics Dept., Knoxville, TN 37996.
Education Place, “Brain Teasers,” www.eduplace.com/math/brain/.
Provided by Houghton Mifflin Company, this site contains a weekly
word problem and solution for Grades 3–4, 5–6, and 7–8.
Figure This, www.figurethis.org/. National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education and the
National Science Foundation. Go to “Math Index.”The site provides
puzzle-type applications in a variety of algebra, geometry, measurement, number, and statistics/probability subtopics, and includes
answers. Each item features a note on where the math can be applied
in the real world. Contact NCTM, 1906 Association Drive, Reston,
VA 20191-1502. Call 703-620-9840.
Math Forum @ Drexel, www.mathforum.org. Drexel University. A
large site with a useful arithmetic/early mathematics link of activities
and problems related to basic operations and other basic mathematical
topics. Provides a vast selection of resources. Contact the Math Forum,
3210 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. Call 800-756-7823.
Helping Your Child Learn Math, Produced by USDE, 1999, www.
ed.gov/pubs/parents/Math/. Provides math applications to real-life
situations. This second edition of Helping Your Child Learn Math
is for parents of children in kindergarten through fifth grade. It has
been revised to include a variety of activities that will help children
learn and apply mathematical concepts such as geometry, algebra,
measurement, statistics, and probability in a useful and fun way. All of
the activities in this book relate math to everyday life and complement many of the math lessons that children are learning in school.
Call 800-USA-LEARN.
OTHER MATH SITES:
www.multiplication.com, www.multiplication.com/parents.htm. The
parents page provides multiple strategies for teaching the times tables.
Also includes games, flashcards, worksheets, other activities, and other
resources. The site employs two instructional strategies—traditional
and interactive/innovative techniques with pictures, rhymes, and
stories.
AAA Math, www.aaamath.com This site contains hundreds of pages
of basic math skills, which are sorted by math topics and grade levels
K–8. It includes explanations of topics, practice, games, problems, and
interactive practice activities.A traditional, yet fun, approach. Contact
AAA Math, Box 16498, Albuquerque, NM 87191
Music—Grade 4 Curriculum • 3
General Music
The Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) pre-K–12 general music curriculum is designed to help students
develop the knowledge and skills essential to understanding the following:
• Creating, performing, and responding to music require specific knowledge and skills that may be acquired only
through study and practice.
• Music, a distinct art form, shares many principles and concepts with theatre, visual arts, and dance.
• A thorough understanding of music requires knowledge drawn from other disciplines, including anatomy, physics,
and computer science.
• Music is found in every culture, and musical ability is found in every individual.
The Grade 4 music curriculum provides students
opportunities to experience music and music-making
through three processes: Creating, Performing and
Responding.
Students will do the following:
Create Music
• Improvise rhythmic and melodic patterns in
response to a musical prompt.
• Compose anecdote music within specified
guidelines.
Perform
• Sing a varied repertoire, including three-part
rounds, with an expanded range.
• Perform simple rhythmic and melodic patterns,
sequences, and accompaniments.
Respond
• Identify characteristics of music related to historical style and culture.
• Create appropriate movement to demonstrate
musical characteristics.
• Read and notate short melodic and rhythmic
patterns using standard notation.
Choral Music
Chorus is offered to students in Grades 4 and 5 who
want to sing and develop their individual and ensemble
vocal skills. The choral repertoire includes songs from
various styles and genres. Public performances are the
culmination of many hours of hard work and help students master the following knowledge and skills.
• Sing independently, on pitch and in rhythm,
with appropriate diction and posture.
• Sing selected pieces from memory.
• Perform with confidence the music that has
been prepared.
• Demonstrate appropriate audience etiquette.
Instrumental Music
The Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS)
Grades 4–12 instrumental music program is designed to
help students develop the knowledge and skills necessary
to do the following:
• Successfully engage in the performance of music
from various historical periods and genres.
• Demonstrate lifelong musical skills through
performing on one’s instrument
• Enjoy a wealth of musical experiences as a
musician.
• Contribute to a society that values creating and
listening to music and appreciates the arts.
• Become self-disciplined members of a group that
works together for the common good.
• Become self-expressive, problem solvers, and
critical thinkers.
Elementary instrumental music is offered as an elective
pull-out program. It begins in Grades 4 and 5 at every
Montgomery County elementary school. Students
attend a like-instrument session once each week. Grade
4 instrumental music students study basic instrumental
music techniques and perform in public concerts once
or twice during the first year of study.
4 • Physical Education—Grade 4 Curriculum
Physical Education
The Grade 4 physical education program provides students with opportunities to learn through movement.The physical
education classroom promotes the learning of concepts related to movement skills, health-related fitness, and personal
and social responsibility in a movement setting. Students who develop proficiency in the skills, concepts, and processes
within these areas will move efficiently and value the benefits of leading healthy and active lifestyles.
The physical education curriculum at each grade level identifies skills and concepts to be taught and learned during
each marking period. The following statements provide an overview of what students should know and be able to do
by the end of each marking period in Grade 4.
Marking Period 1:
Marking Period 3:
Marking Period 2:
Marking Period 4:
• Perform accurate passes using a chest pass and
the inside of the foot.
• Identify and define the health-related fitness
components of cardiorespiratory endurance,
muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility.
• Define resting heart rate, target heart rate, and
maximum heart rate.
• Differentiate between muscular strength and
muscular endurance activities.
• Define flexibility and explain why it is important
to stretch.
• Throw overhand to a student who is moving to
his/her right or left.
• Catch a ball while moving to the right or left of
where the thrower is standing.
• Volley a gently thrown lightweight ball to a
target using an overhead pass.
• Identify a personal physical activity goal that is
challenging yet attainable, and explain why it is
an appropriate goal.
• Perform a square dance while demonstrating all
movements accurately and staying in formation
during the dance.
• Transfer weight from the feet to the hands and
back to the feet by bringing the feet above the
waist and landing softly on one or two feet, for
example, performing a mule kick, handstand,
round-off, and cartwheel.
• Identify and demonstrate a variety of ways that
promote a positive and respectful movement
setting.
• Strike a self-dropped ball with a lightweight
racket using a backhand stroke.
• Strike a softly pitched ball with a bat.
• Identify the components of the Frequency,
Intensity, Time, and Type (FITT) Formula and
compare the relationship between intensity and
time.
Reading/Language Arts—Grade 4 Curriculum • 5
Reading/Language Arts
The Montgomery County Public Schools elementary reading/language arts program reflects the integrated nature of a
balanced literacy program. The elementary reading program provides instruction in the five components of reading­—
Phonemic Awareness (in kindergarten and Grade 1 only), Phonics, Vocabulary, Fluency, and Comprehension­—and
engagement in independent reading. Both reading purposes­—Reading for Literary Experience and Reading to Be
Informed—receive equal instructional attention. The elementary language arts program encompasses writing instruction,
which includes teaching the writing process and traits of effective writing (Ideas, Organization, Word Choice, Voice,
Sentence Fluency, and Conventions). The three writing purposes­—Writing to Express Personal Ideas, Writing to Inform,
and Writing to Persuade—receive instructional attention. The processes of listening and speaking are integrated into all
of the components of a comprehensive, balanced literacy program.
Reading
Vocabulary
• Uses knowledge of word parts and root words,
and identifies relationships between words (e.g.,
synonyms, antonyms, analogies) to determine
meaning.
• Acquires and expands vocabulary through reading
a variety of material.
Fluency
• Reads grade-level text accurately with expression.
Comprehension
• Reads grade-level text for different purposes:
literary experience (e.g., stories, poems, plays)
and reading to be informed (e.g., articles and
directions).
• Applies reading strategies used before, during, and
after reading text.
BEFORE-READING STRATEGIES
• Determines a purpose for reading.
• Previews text and formulates questions.
• Uses background knowledge and previews text to
make predictions and ask questions.
DURING-READING STRATEGIES
• Makes connections to the text.
• Confirms or alters predictions.
• Visualizes or makes mental pictures to understand
text.
• Determines importance of information in text.
• Uses strategies to fix what does not make sense.
• Rereads to confirm or alter understanding.
• Uses characteristics of fiction and informational
text to aid comprehension.
• Understands characters, setting, problem/solution,
and plot when reading for a literary experience.
• Makes inferences (i.e., draws conclusions, identifies
cause/effect relationships).
• Uses common text features when reading to be
informed.
AFTER-READING STRATEGIES
• Responds to reading through discussion.
• Revisits the text to think about what was learned.
• Rereads to clarify or extend meaning.
• Identifies author’s message.
• Summarizes text.
• Responds to comprehension questions in writing.
• Selects and independently reads at least 25 gradelevel-appropriate books.
Writing
• Uses the writing process (prewriting, first draft,
revising, editing/proofreading, publishing).
• Writes independently for a variety of purposes (for
personal expression, to inform, to persuade) and for
an extended period of time.
• Determines purpose and audience and maintains
focus for writing.
• Revises writing by using criteria or checklists.
• Edits writing using grade-level-appropriate language conventions correctly (compound and complex sentences, dialogue, varied punctuation with
accuracy, usage) to clearly communicate message.
• Shows evidence of traits of effective writing.
• Uses resources effectively to spell words.
• Develops multiple paragraphs and maintains focus
for writing.
• Uses descriptions to make a topic or message clear
to the reader.
• Uses strong beginnings to engage the reader.
• Develops a research question based on a selected
topic and uses two or more resources to locate
information.
LISTENING AND SPEAKING SKILLS AND STRATEGIES ARE
LEARNED AND APPLIED DURING READING AND WRITING
INSTRUCTION.
• Gathers and conveys information from listening.
• Determines a speaker’s point of view by tone of
voice and body language.
• Plans and delivers effective oral presentations and
uses criteria for peer review.
6 • Reading/Language Arts—Grade 4 Curriculum
TEXT CHARACTERISTICS
• Book and print features
• Sentence complexity
• Content
• Themes
• Ideas
• Language and literary features
• Text structure.
By examining how the book supports the developing
reader and the challenges that are present, appropriate books can be matched to students for small-group
instruction to help them progress as readers. Text
characteristics provide a guide to help teachers select
the best text to use for instructional purposes. Gradelevel-appropriate books are designated by the following
list of criteria.
Grade 4 Text Characteristics
• Longer chapter books that present a range of problems; multiple episodes related to a single plot.
• Themes that require interpretation and understanding.
• Multiple characters; development is shown through
what they say and do.
• New genre introduced—autobiography and
mystery.
• Vocabulary/terminology is sophisticated and varied
and requires interpretations of meaning.
• New multisyllabic words require a quick analysis.
• Highly complex sentences require a full range
of punctuation important to understanding the
meaning of the text.
• Informational text with several organizational patterns and multiple text features.
Curriculum Resources for Parents
Parents should first consult the recommended resources listed under
“How Parents Can Access Curriculum Resources,” page ii.
Reading/Language Arts
National Council of Teachers of English, www.ncte.org/
search?q=parents. Designed specifically to help parents help their
children. Assorted topics. Contact NCTE, 1111 Kenyon Road,
Urbana, IL 61801-1096. Call 217-328-3870 or 877-369-6283.
International Reading Association, www.reading.org./Information
for/Parents.aspx. Go to a variety of topics—also in Spanish.
Contact IRA, 444 North Capitol Street, NW, #630,Washington,
D.C. 20001. Call 202-624-8800.
Helping Your Child Publication Series
ed.gov/parents/academic/help/hyc.html
Designed to provide parents with lessons and activities to help
their school aged and preschool children master reading, understand the value of homework and develop skills.
Other Reading/Language Arts Sites:
Guide to Grammar and Writing, Capital Community College,
Hartford, Conn. http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar. This
site contains an extensive collection of grammar, mechanics,
language, usage, and writing topics, easily accessed by multiple
indexes. This very comprehensive site addresses rules, examples,
exercises, and quizzes. Call 806-906-5000.
Read, Write, Now! Activities for Reading and Writing
Fun, www.udel.edu/ETL/RWN/Activities.html. Produced by
the U.S. Department of Education in collaboration with the
International Reading Association and Reading is Fundamental.
This site includes reading activities and reading lists for children through Grade 6. Listed as a resource in MCPS website
Weblinks/“Internet Resources: Great for Homework.” Call
800-860-9228 or 800-872-5327.
NOTE: Please be aware that Internet sites occasionally
discontinue and addresses often change.
Science—Grade 4 Curriculum • 7
Science
The Grade 4 science program provides students with opportunities to develop and apply their understanding of science.
Science is organized into two disciplines: physical sciences and earth sciences. Students develop content knowledge in
biology, chemistry, physics, and earth/space and environmental science. Student science investigations include developing a testable question, making a hypothesis/prediction, following a well-designed procedure, forming a conclusion,
and communicating results.
Grade 4 Units
Life Science
Unit Summary: Students construct, observe, discuss,
and read about land and water ecosystems.Throughout
the unit students will explore the concepts of living
things and their basic needs, how organisms are classified,
the features that make organisms well-suited to their
environment, the flow of energy and matter, and how
organisms interact with each other and the environment. The hands-on resources for this unit are the first
seven sessions of the publication Ecosystems, developed
by the National Science Resources Center with support from the National Academy of Sciences and the
Smithsonian Institute.
Major knowledge, skills, and concepts
By the end of Grade 4, students should be able to do
the following:
• Explain ways that individuals and groups of
organisms interact with each other and their
environment.
• Explain how animals and plants can be grouped
according to observable features.
• Explain that in any environment, some kinds of
plants and animals survive well, some less well,
and some cannot survive at all.
• Recognize that some source of energy is needed
for all organisms to grow and survive.
Environmental Science
Unit Summary: Students continue to observe, discuss,
and read about land and water ecosystems. Students
will investigate how human activities and decisions
about the use of natural resources may have environmental benefits, drawbacks, unexpected consequences
and tradeoffs. The hands-on resources for this unit are
the last seven sessions of the publication Ecosystems,
developed by the National Science Resources Center
with support from the National Academy of Sciences
and the Smithsonian Institute.
Major knowledge, skills, and concepts
By the end of Grade 4, students should be able to do
the following:
• Recognize and describe that people in Maryland depend on, change, and are affected by the
environment.
• Recognize and describe the consequences that
may occur when Earth’s natural resources are
used.
• Explain that individuals of the same kind differ
in their characteristics, and sometimes the differences give individuals an advantage in surviving
and reproducing.
• Explain that changes in an organism’s habitat are
sometimes beneficial to it and sometimes
harmful.
Up-to-date information about
Montgomery County Public Schools
grading and reporting and the revision
of report cards is available at the
MCPS website:
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/grading.
You can also access up-to-the-minute
information by clicking on “News.”
The local public library is a great source
of information and has computers
and trained staff.
8 • Science—Grade 4 Curriculum
Chemistry
Unit Summary: Students build an understanding of
matter and observe and investigate the processes that
can be used to change materials from one state of
matter to another. Throughout the unit students will
collect and use data to explain water’s ability to exist
in all three states of matter within the temperatures
normally found on Earth. The hands-on resource for
this unit is the publication Changes of State, developed
by Education Development Center, Inc., with support
from the National Science Foundation.
Major knowledge, skills, and concepts
By the end of Grade 4, students should be able to do
the following:
• Explain and identify observable properties of
matter.
• Explain and identify the states of matter.
• Relate the states of matter to weather conditions
on Earth.
• Recognize the effects the Sun has on water on
Earth.
Earth Science
Unit Summary: Students explore the materials
that make up Earth’s surface. Throughout the unit,
students build on their understanding of matter and
how concepts from previous units relate to earth science. Students make observations of rocks, minerals
and fossils to draw conclusions about earth materials
and earth history.
Major knowledge, skills, and concepts
By the end of Grade 4, students should be able to do
the following:
• Explain how rock is formed
from combinations of different minerals.
• Compare and contrast the
physical properties of rocks
and minerals.
• Explain that fossils provide evidence about plants
and animals that lived long
ago and the nature of their
environment.
• Explain how physical weathering and erosion cause
changes to Earth’s surface.
Curriculum Resources for Parents
Parents should first consult the recommended resources listed under
“How Parents Can Access Curriculum Resources,” page ii.
Sites recommended by the National Science Teachers Association:
“Online Services for Montgomery County Public Schools,”
part of the MCPS Science Curriculum website, www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/science/. All are available for home
use. Subjects are broken down by elementary, middle, and high
school use.
National Science Teachers Association, www.nsta.org. Click
on the “Other Visitors/Parents” link and then go to “Help Your
Child Explore Science” (www.nsta.org/explore). Additional links
offer constructive information for parents who wish to help their
children in science. This site includes 40 pages of science and
mathematics links. Contact NSTA, 1840 Wilson Blvd.,Arlington,
VA 22201. Call 703-243-7100.
Helping Your Child Learn Science United States Department
of Education booklet, www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Science/index.
html. Provides science activities for parents of children ages
3–10. Activities are available for home and the community. Call
800-USA-LEARN (800-872-5327) and ask for Publications
for Parents.
Please be aware that Internet sites occasionally discontinue and
addresses often change.
Social Studies—Grade 4 Curriculum • 9
Social Studies
Grade 4 social studies combines a historical study of the United States with a present-day study of geography, economics, culture, and civics. Students begin unit 1 with the geography of Maryland and the United States before investigating the Native American cultures of different regions of North America. In unit 2 students learn the chronology of
U.S. history through the waves of historic and present migration. Students conclude unit 2 with a study of the early
colonists. Unit 3 is a study of classic colonization from 1700–1763. Students also are introduced to the basics of civics
in the last unit.
Unit 1—The Impact of Geography: Defining
Three Worlds
Chronology: Pre-1492 and Today
Major knowledge, skills, and concepts
By the end of Grade 4, students should know the
following:
• Geography of Maryland and the United States and the
impact of geography on settlement patterns within
states and regions.
• Economic activity in Maryland and the United States.
• The role of technology in developing the economy
and its impact on the environment historically and
today.
• The historic and present cultures of specific Native
American groups from regions of North America.
• Social, economic, and political characteristics of
Western Europe and West Africa in the 15th century.
Unit 2—Migration: Three Worlds Collide
Chronology: 1492–1700 and Today
Major knowledge, skills, and concepts
By the end of Grade 4, students should know the
following:
• Historic turning points in the four waves of migration
in United States history.
• Causes and consequences of migration today and
during the early settlement period in America.
• Symbols of American ideas and values.
• Social, economic, and religious composition of early
settlers and their motives for migration.
• Daily life in the early settlements of St. Mary’s City,
Jamestown, and Plymouth.
• Reading historic documents and examining artifacts
to provide a glimpse into history.
Unit 3—The Colonies Thrive
Chronology: 1700–1763 and Today
Major knowledge, skills, and concepts
By the end of Grade 4, students should know the
following:
• Individual rights and responsibilities and the importance of civic participation.
• The functions of the three branches and levels of
government.
• How taxes finance government operations and
provide public goods and services.
• How citizens and governments work together to solve
problems (case studies: Developing an equal-access
park, Hadley’s Park, and addressing the declining blue
crab population).
• Historic turning points in individual rights and the
economy of the Chesapeake Bay.
• Daily life in the 13 colonies, including social, economic, and political activities from many individual
perspectives.
• The social and economic institutionalization of slavery
and its impact on enslaved Africans.
• Colonial and royal governments’ roles in the colonies.
• The French and Indian War’s effect on individuals and
groups.
Curriculum Resources for Parents
Parents should first consult the recommended resources listed under
“How Parents Can Access Curriculum Resources,” page ii.
“Social Studies Resources and Links,” MCPS Social Studies
Curriculum website, www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/socialstd/resources/resources.html. This site contains a very large number of
resources, organized alphabetically by social studies topics.
American Memory, www.memory.loc.gov/ammem/. Produced by the
Library of Congress, American Memory includes primary source
materials relating to the history and culture of the United States.
The site offers more than 7 million digital items from more than
100 historical collections. Some include sound.There are also links to
other Library of Congress resources and hands-on learning, lessons,
and activities.This site is primarily for teachers, but might be useful to
parents. Contact the Library of Congress, 101 Independence Avenue,
SE, Washington, D.C. 20540. Call 202-707-5000.
National Geographic Xpeditions, www.nationalgeographic.com/
xpeditions/lessons/index.html. Produced by the National Geographic
Society, this series of lesson plans is aligned to the United States
Geography Standards. The site sorts by topic, standard, and grade
level and contains an extensive lesson plan bank, each linked to a
U.S. Geography Standard. The site teaches clear application skills
geared toward addressing real-world issues. Contact National
Geographic Society, P.O. Box 98199,Washington, D.C. 20090-8199.
Call 800-647-5463.
National Geographic Blue Ribbon Links www.nationalgeographic.
com/xpeditions/links.html. This site contains links on a variety of
geography topics recommended by the National Geographic Society.
These links are updated frequently. Contact National Geographic
Society, P.O. Box 98199, Washington, D.C. 20090-8199. Call
800-647-5463.
National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) Databank, www.
ncss.org/. This site contains links to resources applicable to the study
of social studies. Contact NCSS, 8555 Sixteenth Street, Suite 500,
Silver Spring, MD 20910. Call 301-588-1800.
Gathering Evidence of Student Learning
Students show what they know and can do in different ways.
These ways include, but are not limited to, oral responses,
discussions, performance activities, nonverbal demonstrations, role plays, interviews, debates, written responses, essays
and reports, demonstrations using manipulative materials,
and performance on quizzes and tests. These responses are
evidence of what students have learned. The Montgomery
County Public Schools (MCPS) has a comprehensive assessment program to monitor students’ progress toward mastery
of essential skills and knowledge.
These assessments inform teachers, parents, and students
about academic progress. Teachers use the information to
adjust instruction to meet individual learning needs.Teachers
use multiple and varied opportunities to assess students’
skills and knowledge. Several forms of assessment are used
throughout the school year.
Pre-assessments are given before instruction to measure a
student’s knowledge and skills of the unit or quarter to be
taught. The teacher uses this information to pinpoint what
to teach and how to teach it. Pre-assessments tell the teacher
what students already know about the topic of study, provide
an opportunity for students to preview upcoming topics,
and pave the way for accelerating instruction. Examples of
pre-assessments include discussion, observation, diagnostic
tests, and tasks.
Formative assessments are administered throughout a unit of study to monitor how well students are
learning.The teacher uses this information to adjust instruction to improve student performance. Examples of formative assessments are journal entries, quizzes, conferences,
performance tasks, exhibits, demonstrations, unit tests, and
portfolio reviews.
The Montgomery County Public Schools Assessment
Program­—Primary Reading (MCPSAP-PR) is a kindergarten through Grade 2 reading assessment. The assessment
informs instructional practice and measures individual student progress. The assessment is administered to all kindergarten through Grade 2 students three times a year within a
designated testing window. The fall and winter administrations are formative assessments.
More information on the
Maryland School Assessments
is available on the
Maryland State Department of Education’s website:
www.marylandpublicschools.org/
Or, go to the
Maryland State Department
of Education’s state assessment website:
www.mdk12.org,
for your school’s scores and a more complete
explanation of the content of the assessment.
Summative assessments are given annually to measure how
well students are learning concepts and skills specified in the
MarylandVoluntary State Curriculum.The Maryland School
Assessment (MSA) meets the federal testing requirements
of No Child Left Behind Act, and is used to measure students’
yearly progress. Students in Grades 3, 4, and 5 take the MSA
in reading and mathematics in the spring. Students in Grade
5 take the Science MSA in the spring.
The MSA format includes multiple-choice and short-essay
questions. Students complete all test activities independently.
Parents should receive their children’s MSA scores in the fall
of the following year.
Special education students in Grades 3, 4, and 5 who are
exempt from the MSA take the Alternate MSA (Alt-MSA),
utilizing videotaping and portfolios of student work collected
throughout the school year.
All students who are enrolled in the English for Speakers of
Other Languages (ESOL) program and are receiving ESOL
services take the Language Assessment System (LAS) Links.
The LAS Links testing window is in the spring.
The spring assessment of the MCPSAP-PR serves as
a summative assessment.
MCPS second graders take the TerraNova 2 in the spring.
This test assesses reading, language mechanics, mathematics,
and mathematics computation.
The Measures of Academic Progress in Reading (MAP-R)
is a formative assessment that all students in Grades 3, 4, and
5 take on the computer to measure reading progress.
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS
Grade
Test
3–5
Alternate Maryland School Assessment
(for special education students who are exempt from the MSA only)
3–5
Maryland School Assessment Reading, Mathematics
5
Maryland School Assessment Science
2
TerraNova 2
K–5
Language Assessment System (LAS) Links
K–2
Montgomery County Public Schools Assessment Program—Primary Reading
Spring Administration
This document is available in an alternate format, upon request, under the Americans
with Disabilities Act, by contacting the Public Information Office, at 850 Hungerford
Drive, Room 112, Rockville, MD 20850, or by phone at 301-279-3391 or via the
Maryland Relay at 1-800-735-2258.
Individuals who need sign language interpretation or cued speech transliteration in
communicating with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) may contact
Interpreting Services in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program at 301-517-5539.
MCPS prohibits illegal discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, religion,
ancestry, national origin, marital status, socioeconomic status, age, disability, physical
characteristics, or sexual orientation. Inquiries or complaints regarding discrimination
or Title IX issues such as gender equity and sexual harassment should be directed to
the Office of the Deputy Superintendent of Schools at 301-279-3126, via the
Maryland Relay at 1-800-735-2258, or addressed to that office at
850 Hungerford Drive, Room 129, Rockville, MD 20850.
Published by the Department of Materials Management
for the Office of Curriculum and Instructional Programs
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